


Soulless

by lordie



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angst, Character Development, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-26 11:17:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3848947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordie/pseuds/lordie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place right after the Campania arc and diverges into a new route, including romance, gore and a lot more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so this is going to be strange, since I’ve never written fan fiction before.  
> Well that’s a lie, I have.  
> But I’ve never really thought of a fan fiction that I actually wanted to write more than one chapter for.  
> And this crazy ship, I felt, deserves more multi chapter dramatic explicit and heart breaking material.  
> This is why I’m here, sitting at my desk, thinking of ways to break these characters.
> 
> It takes place directly after the Campania sinking, because the end of that arc is really ground breaking in terms of Sebastian and Ciel's characters and relationship development. 
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy!

It was around eleven at night when the black carriage came to a stop in front of the London townhouse gates. The driver of the carriage gently hoped down from the seat and made his way to unlock the gates. His golden eyes scanned the windows of the residence, noticing that one of the rooms lights were on.

\---

Two hours earlier, the Earl of Phantomhive, along with his butler and footman, said their farewells to the Midford family, parting ways at the crowded dock. Elizabeth Midford, Ciel’s cousin and fiancee, had to be pried off of the Earl by her older brother Edward as they got into their equipage. 

“Please take care!” she cried, waving her handkerchief back and forth before the carriage pulled away.

Heaving a large wooden crate that was salvaged from the ship wreck onto the luggage area of the carriage, Snake tied it down and settled himself into the drivers seat, awaiting the tap that the Earl would give when he was ready to go. Sebastian helped Ciel into the carriage by hand, sitting down across from him one the door was shut.

“You look exhausted, Young Master,” Sebastian said softly after the Earl knocked on the roof a couple times, signaling Snake. “Perhaps you should rest on the way to the townhouse.”

Ciel sighed, too tired to think of anything to retort. Crossing his arms over his chest and resting his head on the side of the interior, he closed his eyes and slept all the way home to the townhouse.

All the passengers that were rescued from the Camania sinking had still been wearing their soiled, wet clothing, as the rescue boat only provided blankets and towels for the passengers. Still damp from the time spent in the freezing water, Ciel shivered in his sleep, curling in on himself as the carriage’s wheels on cobblestone lulled him into a deeper sleep.

\---

Snake turned on his heels, guiding the horses inside of the gates and parked the carriage in front of the large entryway, closing the large iron gates. As Sebastian opened the carriage door, Snake looked at him seriously.

“There are people inside, says Dan,” Snake murmured quietly, cautiously. 

“Yes. They look after the townhouse while the lord is away. They are… Friends,” Sebastian decided on the word after some thinking. It was true enough, he supposed.

Snake nodded and turned to put the horses away in the stable. Scooping up the sleeping earl into his arms, Sebastian made way to the large front doors, pushing them open easily. The light from the large chandelier that hung above the foyer made Ciel close his eyes tighter, nuzzling his face sleepily into Sebastian’s neck to seek darkness.

At the sound of the door opening, Prince Soma was already skidding down the hall, Agni trying to catch up, cautioning him to slow down. 

“Ciieeell!” Soma cried, his arms open, expecting to envelop the earl in a hug. But before he could crash into the figure that was Sebastian, he stopped, eyeing the two of them. 

“C-Ciel..?” Soma looked at the limp earl that was in the butler’s arms, Sebastian’s black coat draped over his slender, chilled frame. Tears welled in Soma’s eyes as he took in the scene of Sebastian covered in blood, with an unmoving Ciel against his chest. 

“N-No… He’s not….” Soma breathed, eyes wide and threatening to become a fountain of tears. Agni caught up, equally as stunned.

“Mister Sebastian…” Agni started in disbelief, unable to finish his sentence. 

Sebastian looked down at the two who looked like they were going to start sobbing. 

“The Young Master is alive and asleep, I can assure you,” Sebastian stated before the two Indian men could start weeping loudly. 

“But your clothing!” Soma interjected after seeing the dried blood soaked in the white dress shirt, being shushed by Agni. Ciel stirred slightly at the outburst, trying to cover his ears with the fabric of Sebastian’s suit jacket. 

“I am fine, you should not worry over someone such as myself,” Sebastian reassured with a soft smile. "The Young Master really should be put to bed, though. So I must excuse us for the night.” 

Sebastian started up the stairs before turning back to the two men, who were confused as ever. 

“Also, please do not mind our new footman, as he will also be staying here for the night.” With that said, Sebastian continued back up the stairs. 

With Agni rubbing his back comfortingly, Soma retired to his room, wiping his eyes from drowsiness and the tears that didn’t have a reason to fall. 

The master bedroom of the townhouse was quite smaller than the master bedroom at the manor, but it was still larger than the other rooms. Turning the lights on and setting Ciel down on the bed, Sebastian started their nightly routine. Ciel was awake, but only enough to not fall back onto the bed. His head was hanging as Sebastian made quick work of his suit and shirt, sliding them off easily. Slipping the earl’s arms into his large night shirt sleeves and buttoning it up to his collar took less than a minute, and sliding off the boy’s socks, shoes, and shorts took even less time. A bath would be best, but it was obvious how tired the boy was, so Sebastian settled for wiping down the earl’s face and neck with a damp cloth. A morning bath, then.

Pulling the string behind the earl’s head, the black eyepatch slid down Ciel’s soft cheek. Placing it on the bed stand, Sebastian moved quietly to fold the dirty clothing. Ciel’s eyes opened and watched with a haze as Sebastian put his clothing aside.

“Your clothing,” Ciel mumbled sleepily, eyes trained on the black blood that stained his butler’s usually pristine white shirt.

“I am quite ashamed to be in such an unsightly state in your presence, Young Master. I do apologize.” Sebastian said, a small grin on his face as he bowed his head respectfully. 

Ciel silently looked at Sebastian once more, never seeing him stay bloodied for so long. He usually could heal his body within minutes, but this must have been taking longer. 

“Sebastian… Are you sure you’re alright?” Ciel asked evenly, but also with a bit of sheepishness, unsure if he was feeling concerned or not. He didn’t feel like dwelling on whatever the emotion was he was feeling in his chest. He was too tired to second guess himself.

Sebastian’s head raised, his brows furrowed slightly at the question. As he recalled, the earl asked him something similar while on the small rescue boat. Why was he asking again? Sebastian had to hide his smirk.

"I am quite alright, My Lord." Sebastian reassured, although the thought of taking Ciel up on his offer he presented on the rescue boat of taking a rest for the next day did seem quite nice.

Ciel said no more, letting himself be tucked into the large bed, the thick comforter being pulled up over his chest. 

"Goodnight, Young Master." Sebastian murmured quietly, Ciel already asleep my the time Sebastian blew out the flames of the candelabra.


	2. Chapter Two

He remembers it very clearly.

Down to the screaming voices, the smell of rotting flesh, of salt water flooding his nostrils, the feeling of his ankle twisting uncomfortable from a particular fall. But of all things, the things he remembers most is the way his heart stopped dead when straddling Sebastian.

He remembers being held to the Undertaker’s chest by the front of his shirt, looking his demon straight in the eye.

“I can finally put you in one of my specially-made coffins, earl…”

He remembers seeing a black blur, two bright magenta eyes that burned like hell, reaching to grasp his assailant as he was thrown aside easily.

He remembers reaching out for Sebastian’s hands, only to graze his fingertips. Blood exploding from Sebastian’s chest and mouth as the reaper impaled him with his scythe. He remembers screaming Sebastian’s name.

He remembers crashing down onto the tilted floor on top of his butler after falling from the hight of the second flood stair case. He remembers the feeling of the gloved hand pressed softly to the small of his back, the other hand threaded through his hair protectively.

“I knew you’d be able to protect the earl. As expected from the butler.”

Ciel groaned, leaning up to see what happened. He stared down at his butler, his breath being lost. His stomach dropped. His heart stopped.

“Sebastian? Hey! Sebastian!” He cried out, gripping at the demon’s shoulders, trying to shake him awake. He remembers this clearly.

He waited for the part where Sebastian leaned up, telling him he was loud, spitting blood from his mouth. But it didn’t come.

He didn’t remember this part.

He laid atop the demon, panting ragged breaths. Sebastian wasn’t making snarky comments. He wasn’t getting up. He wasn’t moving.

“S-Sebas… Sebast–” Ciel felt sobs starting to rack his body, his gloved fingers tightly fisting the bloodied suit of his butler.

He didn’t remember this part.

Leaning down, he rested his forehead against his butler’s shoulder, shaking heavily. Tears didn’t stream down his cheeks, but whimpers left the lips he was biting down on.

“Sebastian,” he breathed, his voice barely a whisper into the demon’s bloodied neck.

“Yes, Young Master?”

Ciel sat up quickly, his chest heaving and eyes wet. With his eyes open he could see it was still dark out, the sun not making an appearance yet.

“Another nightmare, my lord?” Sebastian asked, gently reaching over to smooth back Ciel’s damp hair.

“Why did you sacrifice yourself.” Ciel asked sternly, not bothering to confirm Sebastian’s suspicion. He was somehow disappointed when Sebastian’s gloved hand left his forehead.

“What do you mean?” Sebastian questioned, placing the candelabra on the bed side table.

“Last night.” Ciel explained, wishing Sebastian’s cool hand was still on his hot forehead. “You knowingly threw yourself into a death scythe. Why?”

Sebastian smiled calmly, like he always did. “To protect you, of course.”

“But what would that matter?” Ciel asked seriously.

“I do not understand, please explain.” Sebastian said.

“Your main objective is to protect me, so that in the end you may devour my soul.” Ciel started, his eyes narrowing in the darkness.

Sebastian hummed softly, nodding his head in agreement.

“But what would that matter if you were dead? You knew what would happen if you came that close to his scythe, and you still took the chance. It could have killed you. Where is the logic in that?” Ciel finished, looking at Sebastian’s eyes.

“Ah, but it didn’t,” Sebastian stated matter of factly, a smile gracing his perfect lips.

Ciel’s eyes narrowed further. “You would have rather died than have your meal perish?” He asked.

“I suppose you could say it was a bout of pride.” Sebastian elaborated, the smile on his lips not faltering. “You must go back to sleep, Young Master. You have a busy schedule tomorrow.”

Ciel didn’t press any further. Sinking back into his pillows, he sighed softly and closed his eyes.

Sebastian blew out the flames of the candles.

"Goodnight, my lord."

\---

After saying farewell to Soma and Agni, the earl, butler, and footman made their way back to the manor. The other servants greeted them tearfully, having heard from the paper of the ship wreck. Thankfully, all was well in the manor and there were only two minor explosions in the kitchen. 

Ciel leaned back in his office chair, wanting to go back to bed and sleep more after not getting much last night. He cursed himself for not being able to fall back asleep after the nightmare, but the picture of dead Sebastian was still fresh in his mind, even now. 

Two knocks on the office door and Sebastian was already inside, pushing a cart past the threshold. “Excuse me for entering.”

Ciel looked up past his papers and rested his chin on his hand, his elbow on the desk.

The butler took the platter from the cart and presented the earl’s afternoon tea and biscuits.

“A letter from The Queen?” Sebastian inquired, pouring tea from the pot into the glass tea cup.

Ciel hummed an affirmation, sliding the letter to the other side of the desk. He watched as Sebastian’s red eyes flicked back and forth other the paper’s contents. There had apparently been more kidnappings of young men and women, estimated ages fourteen to twenty. They would disappear from their houses and none have been found yet. There was approximately eighteen missing, possibly more.

“I see.” Sebastian stated, handing the earl his cup and saucer. When Ciel didn’t look down at the tea, he tilted his head curiously. “Young Master?”

Ciel didn’t realize he was still looking at Sebastian’s eyes, a mesmerized sheen over the color blue. Shaking his head to rid of the thought, he accepted the tea.

‘I’m just tired. I just need some sleep.’ Ciel reminded himself.

\---

Dinner went on as normal, with the earl eating alone in the large dinning room table, Sebastian at his left. After dinner, he was served chocolate cake with tea and fruit. 

He ate half a slice of cake before putting his fork and knife down on his plate.

“Are you finished, Young Master?” Sebastian asked, surprised. Ciel usually ate at least one slice of his cake, but it seemed that he didn’t want any more than a few bites.

“Yes. I would like to go to bed.” He stated, standing up.

“Very well.”

Sebastian bathed Ciel in silence, the atmosphere unusually thick. Gently helping Ciel out of the bath tub and into a towel, Sebastian dried him off and slid on a clean night shirt onto Ciel’s thin body.

“Does the young master feel ill?” Sebastian asked as he gathered Ciel’s clothing.

“I’m just tired,” Ciel lied. In all honesty, Ciel did feel tired, undoubtedly so. There was something else that was causing him pain, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He assumed that sleep would cure his uncomfortable state. 

“Very well,” Sebastian sighed, pulling back the covers and letting Ciel slip inside. Sebastian moved to pull the comforter up over Ciel’s body, but stopped when Ciel objectified. 

“It’s too hot,” Had been his explanation. Which wasn’t entirely a lie. He felt warm after the long bath, and Sebastian’s proximity wasn’t helping the heat in his cheeks. Never before had Ciel felt so nervous around Sebastian. He blamed it on the lack of sleep. He must have been delusional. 

Sebastian brought his hand back up to Ciel’s forehead for the second time that day. He pretended not to notice how Ciel slightly leaned into his touch. Ciel tried to pretend not to notice either.

“It seems as though you do not have a fever,” Sebastian concluded, pulling his gloved hand away. “I shall fetch you a glass of water if you are thirsty, my lord.”

Ciel mearly nodded, confused himself. Why was he acting strange today? At first the dream, then the touches and looks. Perhaps tomorrow he would think of a way to figure this out. Perhaps tomorrow he would forget about it completely and continue his work.


	3. Chapter Three

The sun rose as it always did, spilling more and more light through the cracks of the thick curtains of the earl’s bedroom with each passing half hour. Ciel groaned softly, stirring in bed until his face was pressed into his pillow. Another night without much sleep, another day wishing he could go back to bed.

Ciel didn’t move to sit up when he heard Sebastian knock on his door. He didn’t move to sit up when his butler opened the curtains, either. 

“Young Master, it is time for you to wake up,” Sebastian said, though it sounded like a sweet murmur to Ciel, whose face was pressed against the thick pillows. Sebastian gently slid his arms behind Ciel’s back, helping him into a sitting position before wrapping a light blanket around his shoulders. 

“Today I have prepared Whi—“ Sebastian stopped mid sentence as he looked at the earl. Ciel’s head was hanging low, his hair covering his face. He was slumped over in an exhausted state, his chest rising and falling slowly.

“Young Master,” Sebastian said softly, as if not trying to surprise the boy with his presence. He reached out, cupping the boy’s cheek to bring his eyes to his. Ceil’s eyes opened when he felt the demon’s gloved hand resting softly against his cheek. Oh god. Why did Sebastian have to look at him like this? Why was he this close? Sebastian was leaning in, like he could read Ciel’s mind if he looked into his bicolored eyes hard enough. He felt his heart beating in his ears. Why was he nervous all of a sudden? Sebastian has been close to him before, and he has never reacted like this. So why did it feel like his heart was in his throat?

Ciel turned his head the other way, huffing slightly. “I’m fine,” he mumbled, trying to force the heat off his cheeks by taking subtle deep breaths. 

Sebastian raised an eyebrow but straightened back up to hand Ciel his newspaper. Ciel took the newspaper in one hand, reaching out with his other. 

“White Darjeeling, you said?” Ciel said to break the awkward silence between the two, Sebastian handing him the cup. Sebastian nodded in affirmation, praising the earl’s ability to recognize different teas, as he did almost every morning. He watched as Ciel scanned over the paper, noticing how the earl immediately skipped over the article on the front page. A large picture of the Campania was at the heading, the article explaining the events and important nobles who were aboard the ship. His eyes moved up to the earl’s, watching him read silently, the boy's eyebrows furrowed. The concentration and seriousness in such a small child was astonishing, something Sebastian had never seen until meeting Ciel. 

“Two bodies found in East London,” Ciel read out loud, looking down at the paper and taking a sip of his tea. Sebastian’s eyes moved away from the Earl’s, noticing that he was staring. “Both female, estimated ages around fifteen and seventeen. Grotesquely drained of most of their blood and left in the gutter of an ally.”

“Do you believe this is related to The Queen’s request?” Sebastian asked, taking Ciel’s tea cup when he handing it to Sebastian. 

“It’s unlikely, but possible,” Ciel mused, scanning his eyes through the article once more and smirking. “It wouldn’t hurt to see what The Yard are up to in East London today, would it?” 

“I suppose not,” Sebastian returned the smirk, taking the newspaper from Ciel after he was ready to be dressed. “How does your ankle feel today?”

Ciel moved his injured foot under the covers, holding back a wince when he turned it too far. No matter, he would just lean more heavily on his walking stick, he decided.

“It feels alright,” Ciel fibbed, stretching his arms up above his head to bend his back. Sebastian’s eyes slowly trailed down the earl’s arched body before placing the newspaper on the cart, clearing his thoughts. 

“I will cancel your morning lessons for rescheduling.”

“Very well,” Ciel said, sliding his legs over the edge of the bed to be dressed and prepared for the day. 

—

“Sir, here are the papers,” Abberline said, handing a stack of reports to his boss.

Lord Randall grunted as he accepted them, looking over the papers quickly.

It was a still dark, even though it was eleven in the morning. The storm clouds rumbled in front of the sun, but didn’t spill a drop.

Scotland Yard was set up at the dank ally, handkerchiefs pressed to their noses. The smell of the still rotting corpses fermenting made Lord Arthur Randall suppress a gag. Across from the two officers laid a white blanket over two dead bodies. After the reports were made, the Yard would have the bodies disposed of to relieve that street of the fetor. But until then, the bodies would be slowly decomposing, to the working officer’s dismay and disgust.

“Abberline, have the men clean up the bodies; I’m tired of this putrid smell,” Randall muffled though his handkerchief that was pressed over his nose.

“Now, now, Randall, we can’t end the party yet. I’ve only just arrived.” the Earl of Phantomhive asserted, walking to the scene in his usual confident state, Sebastian behind him. In his right hand was his walking stick which he was only slightly leaning on. Showing weakness to Scotland Yard was not something he planned to do for the rest of his life, even if his foot was aching. His left hand was open, silently commanding his butler to hand him a cloth to cover the lower portion of his face. 

Randall sputtered, his eyes narrowing on the child. The young Earl of Phantomhive, only thirteen but carrying himself like he was the wisest person in London, was in the midsts of another Scotland Yard investigation. Randall clenched his jaw. He wouldn’t let the brat take over this case. Not after the Jack the Ripper and Noah’s Ark Circus investigations. Scowling, Randall answered to the earl. 

“Earl Phantomhive, what business do you have here? Scotland Yard has this covered, you may run along,” he said, looking at the one blue eye that Ciel had.

“Do not treat me as though I am a child,” Ciel stated defiantly, his eye narrowing. “Sebastian, inspect the bodies, and make it quick, I can’t stand this smell.”

“Certainly, my lord."

Before the commissioner could flatly object, Sebastian was already passed the barricade tape, looking under the stained blanket. The officers loitering around were shocked to see the man so close to the putrid bodies without even crinkling his nose. After a few seconds of examination, Sebastian stood, replacing the cloth over the bodies, and made his way back under the police tape.

Randall grit his teeth as he watched the butler make his way back beside the small earl, his blood boiling. How could this child be the mastermind to the Phantomhive Earldom? He made a silent oath to himself as he watched the two leave that he would solve his case before that loathsome watchdog did.

—

“Slit throats, hm?” Ciel said over his afternoon tea, taking a sip before placing it back down on the saucer. “If both bodies were drained of their blood by their neck, they would have had to be upside down. But their were no blood stains on the victim’s faces?”

“No, there was no traces of blood on the victim’s faces or their hair.” Sebastian confirmed, pouring more tea into the earl’s tea cup. 

“How were the cuts made?” Ciel asked, picking up his now full cup. He felt stupid for asking such a question, but he needed to rule out the idea that rested in the back of his mind of vampires lurking around, draining people of their blood. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, after seeing corpses coming back to life on the Campania.

“Presumably a knife or blade.” Sebastian clarified, easing the earl’s mind of dealing with the supernatural. He already had his fill of paranormal creatures; having one living in his manor, serving him his afternoon tea. 

“Was there anything else of significance on the corpses?” Ciel asked, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his slender chest. If the only notable attribute of these corpses was that their throats were slit and their blood was missing, there was too much room to speculate the different possibilities of what happened and who was committing these crimes. 

“There were minor lacerations on both wrists of each victim, as well as on the ankles. It also seems as though sections of their hair have been removed forcefully.” Sebastian reported, removing the cup and saucer from Ciel’s desk and placing them on the tray. 

Ciel watched Sebastian’s hands gliding over the fine china, taking them away from him, the butler's pale wrist peeking out from under the black suit sleeve. Wait, what did Sebastian say just now? Oh, lacerations, ankles, hair. The earl blinked a few times, coming back to reality.

“Then I suppose we don’t have any leads until something else happens, unfortunately.” Ciel stated, looking down at his desktop in thought. If these two bodies were the result of what the Queen was asking him to look into, there were at least sixteen other teenagers who were in danger of being killed, perhaps in the same way. Were the other young adults alive and being held captive? Or were they dead, laying about London somewhere in another dark ally, hollow shells of once youthful children. Either way, the only way to find more clues about these murders would be if someone found more bodies. Inevitable deaths, certainly a misfortunate way to try to save people.

“There was one other thing, Young Master,” Sebastian said lowly, his eyes scanning the lord’s face. “A brand.”

Ciel swallowed thickly, his side suddenly itching slightly. A brand? 

“Of what?” Ciel inquired impatiently, his small hands gripping the fabric of his own suit jacket. More occultists? Draining blood from their victims for demonic sacrifices? 

“A family crest, it would seem. If I may,” Sebastian asked, pulling an ink pen from his suit pocket and a piece of paper from Ciel’s desk to draw the coat of arms. Ciel watched closely as Sebastian fluidly drew the shape of a shield that had a flat top. Inside the coat of arms was three claw like shapes, the ship edges pointing to the right side. On the flat top of the shield, Sebastian drew the outline of a crown, and around the shield he drew the letters “O” and “N”, repeating around the outside of the shield, connected by a line drawn through the letters to make a full circle around the crest.

Ciel looked at the coat of arms, his eyebrows furrowed. This was not an English noble's family crest that he recognized. This was not a crest that he recognized at all. 

“Do you recognize this coat of arms, Sebastian?” Ciel asked, looking up at his butler. 

“I do, My Lord."


	4. Chapter Four

“How much do you know about Hungarian noble families?” Sebastian asked, his lips turing into a small smirk as he walked around the side of the desk to look the earl from straight ahead.

“Hungarian?” Ciel asked, quite surprised that it wasn’t a crest from English nobility. What would a Hungarian noble family be doing in England? Why would they so blatantly brand their crest on their victims? Or perhaps, they were being framed?

“Yes, Hungarian.” Sebastian repeated, reaching into his jacket pocket to retrieve his glasses. Ciel rolled his eye when the demon put them on, his butler now becoming his 'tutor'.

“I thought you said I had no lessons this morning.” Ciel scowled slightly, annoyed whenever Sebastian would take on the role of his teacher to mock him.

“It is past noon, Young Master,” Sebastian said with a smile as he looked down at his pocket watch.

“Tch.” Ciel wasn’t in the mood for Sebastian to be the condescending teacher that he was when he decided to take the role, but he needed to know more about this family. Holding his tongue with his teeth and huffing, the young lord said no more, the silence giving Sebastian permission to explain.

“This coat of arms belongs to the Hungarian noble family of Báthory. Quite the authoritative family during the 15th century, if I remember correctly. Established in the 13th century, most likely.” Sebastian said while pretending to look in thought.

“This crest is quite similar to the original family coat of arms,” Sebastian said, his gloved finger pressed to the paper, “Although, it looks as though it is a variation to the genuine one from the Middle Ages.”

Ciel looked at the coat of arms, then back at Sebastian. If the Báthory family has been alive since the 13th century, why hasn’t he learned about them? This powerful Hungarian family surviving for six centuries must have been somewhere in his books, but he could only hardly recognize the name.

“However, the dissolution of the Báthory family happened in 1610 or so.” Sebastian said looking at Ciel’s confused face and smirking.

“Does this family have a history of this sort of occurrence? Demonic sacrifices, torturing people?” Ciel asked, leaning back in his chair. If the Báthory family had died out in the 1600s, and the crest was modified, it may have meant the family had a following that was currently living in England to continue the work of the family.

“To my knowledge, only one member of the family, My Lord. Countess Elizabeth. One of the last of the family.” Sebastian said, standing up straight. “Infamous serial killer of hundreds.”

“How would she kill her victims, Sebastian?” Ciel asked seriously, sitting up in his chair.

Sebastian pointed his index finger to his neck and drew a line across his own throat. Ciel gulped, staring at Sebastian’s neck. Pictures of dead Sebastian flooded into his mind and he had to shake his head to cease the thought.

“Why?” he asked. If he knew her motive, he may be able to find the motive of this killer.

“Perhaps the countess was crazed, though most believed it was to find the secret of immortality. Most likely both.” He answered, taking a moment to think. “The details of her murders may be a bit gruesome for the Young Master.”

“Tell me, Sebastian. Do not treat me as a child.” the earl demanded, his interest peaked.

Sebastian sighed.

“Very well. I shall start from the beginning. Countess Elizabeth Báthory was known for her cruelty towards her servants. After striking one of her maids too forcefully on the head, she noticed some of the young woman’s blood on her hand. Deciding that her skin took on a new youthful glow, she beat the maid until she was dead to slather her blood over her skin. Becoming obsessed with the idea of killing others to lengthen her life and have eternally beautiful skin, she would slit the throats of her young servants and bathe in their blood.” He said, his eyes glowing softly as he watched Ciel’s face twist in a disgusted look.

“That is revolting.” Ciel responded, his stomach turning at the thought of bathing in another’s filthy blood. “Do you think the person draining people’s blood is really bathing in it?“

“Perhaps, but we can only speculate.” Sebastian sighed while putting his glasses back into his inside jacket pocket. “You still have one more lesson for today, Young Master.” he reminded, starting to move the cart from the side of the desk.

“I will clean this up before your instructor arrives.”  
Ciel nodded and leaned back in his chair, watching Sebastian leave the room. There must have been a reason for putting those bodies out in the open. If the serial killer wanted to be secretive, they would have kept the bodies or disposed of them in an inconspicuous way. They also wouldn’t have branded them, unless they were bought from an auction or they wanted to attract attention. Ciel racked his brain for answers, but was soon exhausted from the amount of time he had been awake. Barely getting any sleep last night and walking on his bad ankle in London had not helped his fatigue. He was soon dosing off in his large office chair, not hearing Sebastian knocking on his door a few minutes later.

—

He felt sweat drip down his neck, fall down his collarbone and onto Sebastian’s chest. He felt his legs trembling, his arms holding him up but threatening to give out as he sat atop his butler. His eyes were shut tightly. No, not this dream again. Not this nightmare.

His dreams felt so real, so lifelike. His stomach twisted in a knot, his hands pressed on Sebastian’s chest to hold himself up. He could hear Undertaker saying something, but didn’t understand what he was saying, his heart pounding in his ears.

“It seems you only make the earl miserable after all.”

Ciel shut his eyes tighter, willing this dream to end. He didn’t want to see it anymore. He didn’t want to experience this pain again.

He felt the body from beneath him vanish as well as the floor, his body dropping suddenly. Before he could make a noise of surprise, he was already strung up to the ceiling, his ankles tied together to his wrists, his back and arms twisting agonizingly as he squirmed to free himself. Blood rushed to his head as he panted, his body now upside down and shaking with trauma.

The smell of the room he was in was of rot and metal, making Ciel gag and vomit. The air was thick and heavy with moisture and heat, like a humid butchering chamber. His throat burned and his eyes watered, but he didn’t dare open them to see what he was sure laid beneath him.

His hair was being pulled, forcing his head up and extending his neck to painfully stretch. It felt like his skin was being pulled apart, the heat of the room making him sweat and shake harder.

At the sound of sharp metal scraping against the floor as it was picked up, Ciel tried moving his arm out of the constraints harder, knowing what would be coming next if that blade were aimed at his throat. Struggling to free himself was useless as he felt the cool blade against his skin, his heart pounding against his straining rib cage and his lungs constricting tightly from lack of air.

“Sebastian!” He cried out, his eyes opening wide, the searing mark on his right eye scorching. Below from where he was dangling he could see a bath set into the stained ground, blood and sinew filling it to it’s brim. He felt the blade start digging into his neck, his screams not reaching his butler. Trying to squirm out, he barely annunciated his demon’s name again, his mouth filling with hot, metallic fluid.

“Sebasti—“

He felt limp, his body not contorted. He was shaking and sweating, but not dead. His eyes were open, but not seeing. He felt something in his left hand. His other hand was around his neck, trying to stop the bleeding that didn’t exist. Blinking a few times to clear his sight, he saw that his left arm was outstretched and reaching out. At the end of his hand was a gloved one.

“Sebastian,” he choked out, his throat sore. Had he been screaming in his sleep? “W-What time…” he started, but his head felt so light that he would surely pass out again if he didn’t stop talking.

“Young Master…” Sebastian murmured, his voice so soft yet concerned that it kept Ciel from falling back unconscious. “It is around nine o’clock. I brought you to bed after you fell asleep in the study.”

Ciel’s head was swimming and he felt like he was still drowning on his own thick blood. His fingers were still tightly wrapped around Sebastian’s hand, not easing up on their fixed pressure. He needed an anchor to hold on to while he was struggling to swim to the surface of consciousness.

“I knew I shouldn’t have explained the incident of the murders in such detail,” Sebastian mumbled softly, more to himself than to the boy who was slowly coming back to reality. His hand closed around the boy’s slowly, rubbing at the back of the earl’s hand with his thumb comfortingly. A smile graced his lips when Ciel finally started breathing more evenly, but soon faded to confusion when Ciel’s hand didn’t pull away like it usually did.

Sebastian stayed at the earl’s bedside, leaned over, holding his hand in place for the earl to grasp as he sat motionless, the boy’s head hanging and his slate hair covering the sides of his face. Ciel’s breathing evened out, and he had stopped sweating, but he didn’t let go of the gloved hand in his palm.

“Young Master,” Sebastian cooed, his other hand moving to press against the boy’s cheek and then hot forehead softly. “Perhaps I should get you s-“

“No. Stay.” Ciel managed to breath out, his throat still sore. As much as he wanted water, he needed to be tethered to something.

“Yes, My Lord.” Sebastian said quietly after a few seconds, his fingers rubbing small circles against the earl’s small hand once more.

After a few minutes, Ciel slowly reclined back into his pillows, his eyes closed. He kept a gentle grip on Sebastian’s hand, silently commanding him that he didn’t want him to let go. Such a display of weakness should have had the earl cringing, but it was a feeling of guilty comfort Ciel had not felt in more than three years. Ciel supposed that between the two of them, he didn’t have anything to hide. The room was dark, and no human could see the state he was in. He supposed that it didn’t matter, not when it was the two of them, not when it was so dark, not tonight.

Ciel Phantomhive fell asleep, his finger’s curled around his demon’s, and slept peacefully for the first time for the past few nights.

—

Sebastian had been polishing silver in the kitchen at around eight forty when he first felt the top of his left hand pulse. Raising his head, he listened carefully and waited patiently.

“Sebastian!”

He sighed softly, placing the cloth and silver down on the table.

‘More nightmares, Young Master?’ He though as he threw on his jacket and appeared in the earl’s room, walking to the side of his bed.

Ciel was squirming against himself, gasping, and reaching out with a grasping hand. His eyes were wide open, the room taking on a dim purple light from his contracted eye. Even though the boy’s eyes were open, he was still asleep, still trapped within his nightmare.

“Sebasti-”

Sebastian took Ciel’s hand gently with one of his, seeming to jolt the boy of his dream, for his voice stopped from calling his name.

“Sebastian… What time…” The boy started, but didn’t finish, seeming too dizzy.

“Young Master… It is around nine o'clock. I brought you to bed after you fell asleep in the study.” Sebastian said softly, not wanting to spook the frightened boy.

Looking into the earl’s eyes, the demon could see so many emotions swimming. Fear, most prominently, but it seemed to be ebbing away by the second. Confusion was second, the uncertainty of where he was and what time it was. Somewhere in the recesses of Ciel’s eyes he saw relief. Sebastian would have laughed any other time. Being relieved while being in the presence of a demon was something truly humorous, but Sebastian couldn’t help but feeling worried for the poor boy.

“I knew I shouldn’t have explained the incident of the murders in such detail,” he mumbled softly, not so much for the boy’s ears. He gently rubbed his master’s hand with his thumb, watching as Ciel’s neck slowly went limp until his head was hanging. After a few moments, it occurred to Sebastian that Ciel wasn’t pulling his hand away like he usually would, wasn’t looking away in shame.

Lifting his other arm and gently caressing the boy’s tired face, he rested it on his forehead. It seemed as though the heat was created from the nightmare and not illness, but Sebastian couldn’t be certain. Human minds and immune systems seemed to work erratically sometimes, never following a perfectly distinct pattern. Nightmares were something only humans were supposed to have, Sebastian never experiencing one before.

“Perhaps I should get you s-”

“No. Stay.”

…How interesting. This night was taking a turn that Sebastian hasn’t expected. Every other time his master ordered him to stay, it would be to stay at the other end of the room, or at least not touching him. Nevertheless, he would certainly oblige to his master’s commands.

“Yes, My Lord,” Sebastian purred softly, his thumb resuming its slow circular motions on the lord’s hand comfortingly.

The demon watched with attentive eyes as his master layer back on the pillows again, his eyes closing. This master was so weak, so fragile. The list of things he could do to this boy was quite long, and each would certainly be easy to carry out.

He supposed he could kill this human, consume the soul, but that was far out of the question, no matter how hungry he was. He could bite into this master’s skin and flesh, drink his blood until the boy fainted, until he paled. He could ravage this body inside and out, show him sin, pleasure, and pain like no human could.

But for now, he would settle for watching this boy as he rested, his hand holding the earl’s reassuringly until he was sleeping soundly.


	5. Chapter Five

When Ciel awoke next morning, he was only slightly surprised to feel a hand still in his. He pushed up into a seated position, his hand moving to help himself up straight.

“Good Morning, Young Master,” Sebastian greeted, finally leaning up from his position beside the bed. Ciel said nothing at first, rubbing at his eye and yawning while Sebastian made his way to the windows to open the curtains. Then, he decided to speak up.

“This stays between us,” he stated, looking up at Sebastian through his bangs.

“What does, my lord?” Sebastian asked, a grin appearing on his lips.

“Last night.” Ciel snapped, although it didn’t have much bite.

“Of course,” Sebastian said softly. “Unfortunately, because of certain circumstances, I was unable to prepare your morning tea. If you would please excuse me, I will make it immediately.”

Ciel simply nodded, looking down at his lap as his butler exited the room to prepare his tea and newspaper. His hand was still slightly warm, but soon the chill of the morning breeze cooled it to room temperature to match his other hand. He sighed softly and closed his eyes. He shouldn’t be thinking this way, he had work to do. He had a killer to catch.

—

Each night that Ciel had nightmares, he would call Sebastian. Every night that he would call Sebastian, he had his butler’s hand in his or his butler’s hand stroking through his slate colored hair until he fell asleep.

He hated it; the feeling of absolute weakness he felt. The desperation of it all. Having to hold your butler’s hand through the night was so childish, so immature. He hated that he craved it every night.

He would allow it, this feeling of hatred and guilt towards himself every morning. But never would he feel regret when the moon was high in the sky at midnight, the sun no where to be seen, being able to cling onto something he knew would protect him.

Night is the only time he allowed this. The darkness could envelope both of them so no one could see his weakness, his desire to be close to this demon. He absolutely loathed the blossoming feeling he would get in the morning when Sebastian leaned up to prepare tea, the sun finding him in his hiding place, but his desire was stronger than the regret each time the sun set and the clock stroke twelve.

—

A few weeks pasted without a serious incident, the newspaper only relaying bland news about cricket matches or aristocratic events and achievements.

Ciel hasn’t heard anything from the Queen about his assignment, or from Undertaker, who has supposedly been in hiding or doing lord knows what after the ship sinking about a month ago.

With no leads other than a supposed family name and possible motive, the case was at a standstill.

But it didn’t stop the reoccurring nightmares that resurfaced almost every night.

“Why have you kept me alive this long?” Ciel more stated than asked, his finger brushing over the seams of Sebastian’s gloved hand. He had woken up as per usual, summoning his demon to accompany him. Tonight he didn’t feel as tired as usual after his nightmare. He had been thinking too hard to want to sleep just yet.

“The contract hasn’t been completed.” Sebastian stated simply, opening his hand a little to let the Earl do as he pleased.

“You’re a demon, what’s stopping you from doing as you please?” Ciel whispered.

“Although that is true, this is the most interesting contract I’ve ever had.” Sebastian replied, his own hand taking the lead and closing around the Earl’s.

Never before has Sebastian had the desire to do so much to his contractee. He wanted to take everything away from Ciel but also give him everything. He wanted to devour this soul but also nurture it and care for it. He wanted to take this boy’s tempting body and show him how good he can make him feel, or how painful and relentless he was natured to be.

“Is that so?” Ciel breathed quietly, pressing his head into the pillows. All he was was a meal. Just prey that was entertaining to stalk and hunt. He felt mournful now, his heart sinking. But honestly, what did he expect? He closed his eyes and fell asleep, his hand now only ghosting over Sebastian’s.

—

It was the forth week that an unusual letter was sent to the Phantomhive household. Not that invitations to events were unusual for the successful business owner, but this one was different. Sebastian placed the white envelope in front of the earl who sat at his desk.

“A letter, my lord.”

Ciel took the envelope in his hands and looked at the seal. This is…!

“The Báthory family crest,” Ciel announced, his hand reaching for his letter opener.

“Precisely.” Sebastian said, looking over the desk to see the contents of the envelope.

Cutting the paper and wax seal swiftly with the blade, Ciel pulled the thick paper from the covering.

 

_Dear Earl C. Phantomhive,_

_It is a pleasure to finally write to you, Earl of Phantomhive. I am the Countess of Ecsed, Katherine Báthory._ _I am sure you have seen my work? I believe my art display last month was quite the sight!_

_It is with great pleasure that I invite you to my estate in Northern London next weekend. It would be quite the shame if you decided not to come, wouldn’t it? You might see one of your family members as my next work of art. I do like the look of your cousin, she is the sweetest looking thing, isn’t she? Perhaps I can invite her to the estate in your place. Please take the time to consider attending._

_I will be humbly awaiting your reply._

_Countess Katherine Báthory._

 

“So, a trap?” Ciel said, closing the letter.

“It would seem so.” Sebastian replied simply.

“We’d be complete fools to attend.”

“Would you sacrifice that for Lady Elizabeth?”

Ciel sighed. “Even if that was a lie, I can’t risk it. She’s one of the only family members I have left. And I won’t let her end up like the others.”

“Understood.”

—

After writing and sending a letter of acceptance and getting ready, Ciel and Sebastian were ready to attend the ball held at the estate in Northern London.

Why the countess had chosen the Earl to attend the supposed ball was beyond him. There were plenty of other children who could be victims, but perhaps she wanted someone of noble birth to be add to her sick collection.

The Phantomhive carriage was the only one present at the grand estate, not surprising the Earl in the least. Ciel stepped out of his carriage, placing his hat on his head. With Sebastian at his side, the Earl walked to the doors of the large mansion.

A soft buzzing noise circled around the earl’s ear, followed by a sharp sting on his neck. Ciel flung his hand back to swat the pesky bug off.

“Insects this time of year are such a bother.” He huffed and glared, scratching the area on the side of his neck.

“Please do not scratch the bite, it will only become more irritated.” Sebastian urged, reaching up to grasp the brass door knocker. It took a few moments before a woman opened the door.

“Welcome to the Báthory Estate.”

The woman was tall, almost as tall as Sebastian, but not quite. Her hair was straight and shoulder length. Her eyes were the color of her hair, a rich auburn. But instead of a maid apron or dress, the woman was wearing a man’s suit.

“Please wait inside the foyer for my master.” She said, her voice a soft hum when she spoke, like she was always singing a song in her head.

Ciel looked at Sebastian for a moment before stepping inside. Sebastian kept his eyes on the strange cross dressing woman. Something wasn’t right, other that that this supposed butler was female.

“My master should be in shortly. Would you care for a drink, Earl Phantomhive?” She asked, spinning around with a drink platter.

“I’m fine.” Ciel said curtly, his eye narrowing.

“Very well, sir.”

Sebastian leaned down to Ciel’s ear, his gloved hand cupping to whisper to the Earl only.

“I only feel one soul here.”

“So the countess isn-”

“Earl of Phantomhive! You’ve finally made it! Welcome!”

Ciel slowly turned his head up to see a woman dressed in a ball gown making her way down the foyer stairs. Her hair was long and black, curled into bouncing tendrils on her mid back and over her shoulders.

“Then..” Ciel whispered, his eye looking back at the female servant off to the side.

“Countess Katherine Báthory. We have reasonable suspicion of your murders and are on orders given by The Queen. Did you think the Phantomhive earldom just made confections?” Ciel spat, looking up at the countess.

“Oh Earl, I haven’t even shook your hand yet and you’re accusing me of murder!” The woman laughed, finally crossing the foyer to stand in front of the Earl. Ciel stood his ground, not daring to take a step back. Sebastian stood close to his side, his eyes still trained on the female in the suit that was holding the champagne platter.

“Anna, how long has it been?” The countess asked cheerfully, taking the glass from the platter and drinking a sip.

“About two minutes, my lady.”

“Splendid! We still have some time.” She said, placing the champagne glass back onto the platter. “Come! Dinner has been prepared.” She turned and made her way to the dining hall, the woman butler holding the door open for her.

What was this woman doing? Did she not hear him? Why was she taking this so nonchalantly?

Reluctantly, Ciel followed, Sebastian keeping close to his side.

“What did you mean when you asked how long it had been?” Ciel asked, not sitting down when offered a chair.

“I’m sure you’ll see.” Hummed the countess, looking at the Earl knowingly. “Or, feel, for that matter.”

Feel? What was she implying? He hadn’t drunken or eaten anything while here, what was she referring to?

“What do… You..” Ciel started to slur his words, his eye lid feeling heavy as he willed it to stay open. His knees suddenly felt weak, his body relaxing too much. When did this happen, what did he take?

“Young Master!” Sebastian called, catching the lord in his arms as he fell to one side.

“This won’t do…” The countess partially whined, seeing the butler take the lord into his arms protectively. “Anna, dispose of this butler. He’s too old anyway.”

“Old?” Sebastian said, his eyebrows twitching in annoyance.

“Yes, my lady,” the servant named Anna said, walking towards Sebastian and the Earl in his arms.

Ciel was awake in Sebastian’s arms, his limbs falling limply over his butler’s arms. His pupils started dilating, everything seeming too bright and unfocused up close. A groan left him as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly, a rush of pain surging through his veins and to his head.

“This is quite the surprise; I didn’t expect a demon to attend this party.”

“Me neither.”

“A demon?” the countess gasped, standing from her chair, her eyes wide while she looked at Sebastian.

The female butler ran forward, sliding to the side of Sebastian and turning quickly on her heel to reach for the Earl. Because of her size, her movements were quick and precise, but with what Sebastian lacked in speed, he made up for it in strength.

Using one hand to hold the drugged lord to his chest, he used the other hand to grab the side of the table and flip it over towards the countess' seat. With a loud clash, the table flipped and skid over towards the noble woman, the plates and glasses shattering against the ground.

“Anna!” the countess cried out, quickly being shielded by her servant as the table was flung toward her.

“Please excuse us for the night.” Sebastian chimed over the racket, shattering a window with a chair and jumping through it, the earl still in his arms.

The female butler placed her mistress down gently. “I apologize, my lady. What would you like me to do?”

The countess sighed longingly, her fists clenching at her side. She grimaced, her usually joyous face turning enraged. The woman growled, grabbing a fallen candelabra from the ground quickly and swinging it at her servant. The demon didn’t move as she watched her countess swing the metal at her head, nor did she make any attempts to dodge when the scone made solid contact with her forehead. Her skin split open, her skull indenting from the blow. Blood dripped from her forehead, down her face and to her chin where the countess collected it with her fingertips and palm.

“Prepare a bath for me.”


	6. Chapter Six

Ciel blinked a few times, his vision still not clear. He could feel Sebastian moving quickly, presumably back home. What had happened? He didn’t eat or drink anything, why did he feel poisoned? He swallowed thickly, his throat burning. 

Sebastian opened the earl’s bedroom window and stepped inside the room quickly, laying the little lord down onto the side of the bed. Ciel didn’t resist, his head slumping to the side. His breathing and heart rate were increasing, his chest rising and falling more sporadically. 

“Neck... Burning,” Ciel managed to moan out, his fingers twitching at his sides uselessly. Sebastian placed a knee beside the earl, leaning close to his master’s throat. Untying the boy's tie and unfastening the buttons, he ripped the clothing from the boy’s neck. There, on the side of the earl’s neck, was the insect puncture. But it wasn’t a regular blemish from a mosquito, it was red and inflamed, bruising the flesh around it purple and blue. 

“Young Master, please do excuse me. I wasn’t expecting to do something like this to you until you were older, perhaps,” Sebastian joked in a murmur, his hand sliding up to hold Ciel’s face in place, keeping it turned to the side to give him more access.

“Whha, are you doing… Pervert-,” Ciel whined and gasped, feeling Sebastian’s lips and teeth press to his skin. His breathing hitched in his throat. Regaining some ability to use his muscles, Ciel grabbed a hand full of bed sheets in one hand and Sebastian’s coat tail in the other. The demon’s teeth were so sharp it didn’t initially hurt that much when he bit into the human’s flesh, but when he started to pull from Ciel’s blood, the boy twisted up with strength he didn’t know he had left.

“Ahhn! Sebastian!!“ He pleaded and panted, his eye shut tight. The pain was excruciating, his skin feeling on fire and his neck burning as Sebastian sucked on his wound. He tried pushing up against his butler’s body, twisting out of the grasp, but it was no use. His muscles were already weak on their own, willing them to work was more of an exhausting task. He slowly opened his eye, his body feeling numb as the demon continued to suck the poison from his bloodstream. 

Sebastian fought back a moan as he tasted his master’s rich blood. His eyes flashed brightly, his senses becoming heightened from such a feral act as drinking from a human’s neck. He wanted to squeeze his master’s neck with his free hand, have his delectable life fluid spill from the wound he created onto his mouth and stain the bed sheets. He wanted to hear more of those loud moans, have the earl continue to squirm under him, calling his name desperately.

...No, he needed to remember what he was doing, why he was doing this. Fighting back the urge to suck his master dry, he searched with enhanced taste buds for the toxin running through the boy’s arteries and veins. To keep his free hand from doing anything that would unconsciously hurt the boy, he wrapped his fingers around the boy’s limp hand gently, reassuringly. 

Ciel’s eye was half lidded and crossed, his saliva dripping down his cheek as he hung onto consciousness by a thread. Through the foggy feeling of pain, he felt something soft come to hold his hand. Gradually, he could feel his muscles twitch with shock, squeezing gently when he willed them too. The sharp pain of the bite ebbed away slowly, leaving a dull ache as he felt Sebastian’s sharp teeth release his from his flesh. A soft, wet tongue was lapping at his sore neck slowly, the chilliness of the air and saliva cooling down his skin and making him shiver. He blinked sleepily a few times, his vision seeming to clear slightly. His voice was faint, barely a whisper when his heavy breathing started to subside.

“That hurt, you bastard.”

Sebastian smirked against they earl’s neck, his tongue passing over the bruised mark once more before leaning up to lick his lips. Ciel looked up hazily at the demon who straddled him, his face flushing at the reality of what just happened. He wasn’t sure if he wanted the demon to stay on his hips, his cool lips and tongue pressing on his searing skin again, or if he wanted to push him off and scoot away from the monster that just sucked his blood hungrily. But before he could make up his mind, Sebastian was already leaning back off the bed to stand up. 

“That is quite the wound you have. What kind of butler would I be if I didn’t dress it properly?” Sebastian hummed, bowing lightly before retrieving gauze and salve. Ciel used a quivering arm to help himself sit up, his limbs still weak from the drug and minor blood loss. He felt a cool cloth pass over his warm cheek, wiping away any saliva he had unnoticeably let fall from his mouth. Then, cold salve on his neck, making him cringe away from the icy touch. Finally, Sebastian wrapped the bandage around the boy’s neck a few times, making sure it was on snugly but not too tight.

“Did you take out all of the poison?” Ciel asked hoarsely, touching the bandage around his sore neck lightly. It still stung, the puncture wounds would surely continue to burn throughout the rest of the night. But that mattered little if there was still venom in his body. 

“Yes, there wasn’t much, but I extracted all of it. Quite the potent drug, wasn’t it?” Sebastian murmured, placing the salve container and gauze onto the bed side table. “It has been quite the evening, Young Master. Would you care for a bath?”

Ciel felt the heat rise to his cheeks once again. He also felt the heat travel to another place, far lower than his neck. “N-No,” he stuttered out awkwardly, “I think I just want to sleep.” 

“Very well,” Sebastian replied, turning his back to obtain a clean night shirt and put away the medical supplies. Ciel fell back onto the bed spread, trying to calm his still pounding heart. His head was still swimming in emotions and want and pain. He thought back to mansion, to the countess and the female servant. Such a blatant display of arrogance, presumably justified by having a devil as your servant. Ciel would be lying if he said he didn’t feel as though he had the upper hand in conflict because of having such a powerful entity at his every command. He thought back to having Sebastian bestride him only a few minutes ago, his hot breath on his even hotter neck, the demon’s tongue dragging over his flesh soothingly, teasingly. 

When Sebastian returned, he helped the boy back up to a sitting position to remove his clothing and eyepatch. Ciel’s head was turned away, not wanted to look at his butler after his lewd thoughts. He had a question on his tongue that begged to be asked, but he held it in, not sure if he wanted to know the answer. Still, curiosity was eating away at him by the second. He slowly turned his head back to watch Sebastian button down his night shirt. 

“What did you mean when you said 'I wasn’t expecting to do something like this to you until you were older’?” he rambled out, his cheeks reddening and heart beating faster.

Sebastian looked up after fingering the last button through the hole of Ciel’s nightshirt and smirked.

“Aren’t you tired, My Lord?”

“Answer my question,” Ciel warned stubbornly, hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. 

“My my, it would appear that the young master is interested in my offer?” Sebastian teased in a low purr, reaching a hand up to stroke down the earl’s bandaged neck. 

Ciel had to suppress the shiver that his body felt when the demon’s hands were touching him again. Swatting the gloved hand away from his neck slower than he would have liked to, he scoffed. 

“As if I would want you doing lecherous things to me, you deviant.”

Sebastian chuckled, standing upright to pull back the lord’s comforter and sheets. The glower on Ciel’s flushed face was short lived when he laid back against the pillows, his eyelids feeling heavy again. He watched sleepily as Sebastian put away his suit and boots and placed his clothing with the other laundry. 

Soon, Sebastian was walking to the bed again, taking the candelabra in his hand. 

“Sebastian,” Ciel yawned, rubbing at his eye sleepily. “Go to the Midford Estate to check on Elizabeth. I’m sure the countess was bluffing, but we need to make sure.”

“Certainly, My Lord. Please sleep well.” Light was extinguished from the room when the demon blew out the flames of the candles.

When Ciel heard footsteps retreating into the darkness, he broke the stillness again with the demon’s given name.

He settled farther into his pillows, turning on his side so his back was toward the demon, mumbling his second order.

"Be back by midnight.”

“Of course."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for graphic depictions of gore and violence!
> 
> Please kudos and comment! I absolutely love hearing feedback!!

“Please!!” St-ahhh!!“

The searing branding rod pressed hard against the girl’s neck where the blistering insect bite resided, opening the agitated skin to burn through her flesh.

The girl shrieks, her skin being burned apart. The rod was drawn away, leaving the family crest on her bloodied neck.

"My lady, you may enter the bath.” Anna hummed, shoving the hot rod into a bucket of water, the steam rising to the ceiling.

The countess stepped out of her robe and descended the steps of the bath, sitting down under the squirming girl a few feet above her.

“Please!! It hurts, it really hurts!” The girl cried out sloppily, tears pouring out of her dilated eyes and onto the countess’ bare leg.

“It is an honor to be part of my art,” the countess said softly, running her finger through the salt water on her leg. “You will forever be a part of me.” Her voice sounded so sweet, so promising. The voice she would use when seducing children to come to her estate to be protected and cared for.

Anna walked behind her mistress, wrapping the soft blindfold around her head and over her eyes. ’There is no light without darkness, you mustn't see the agonized faces, it brings misfortune,’ Anna would always say when Katherine would ask why she needed to be blind. It became ritual, as though the tradition would lack meaning if she wasn’t blind during her baths.

The countess leaned back to lay her head against the rim of the tub when Anna tied the knot behind her head. She heard the tapping of her butler’s shoes as she retrieved the blade, and heard the cries of pain and pleading of the girl hanging upside down above her. A chill ran down her bare body as the candles all went out simultaneously, the darkness now encompassing everything in the room.

The girl’s scream was muffled as the countess started to feel hot liquid dripping onto her torso, then gurgling as the teenager started choking and drowning on her blood. Blood spilled forcefully when the screaming died out into pitiful bubbling noises, the girl’s throat being ripped apart roughly.

Katherine felt her heart pulse faster as more blood poured onto her white flesh, her body slick and sticky with warm liquid. She felt stronger by the second, her fingers clenching and heart pounding against her ribs. She was warm, reborn, powerful.

She sat in the tub until it was filled to cover her legs, until the body above her was a shell of a soul.

—

“Police searches lead to suspicion of Hungarian noble families. Currently, there are searches being held to Hungarian immigrants living in the London area. Police teams have been sent to Hungary as well to find the origin of the family crest and possible relatives of the family.”

Ciel sighed, putting his paper down onto his lap. He had gotten some sleep last night, but his neck was still burning from last night. “We should go back tonight to clean this mess up.”

“Are you sure, my lord? You are still injured.” Sebastian said, gazing at the boy’s neck.

“Whose fault do you think that is?” Ciel snapped, giving Sebastian a scowl. 

Sebastian chuckled lightly, picking up the newspaper from Ciel’s lap. “Who knows what would have happened if that demonic toxin took over your bloodstream…” he reminded.

“That demon woman…” Ciel remembered, looking down at his lap in thought. “She has been the one drugging humans and helping the countess achieve immortality, but,” he paused, his eyebrows furrowing. “If that is true, how is immortality obtained? Bathing in youthful blood would not grant immortality, but what does?”

“I am not sure myself, Young Master.” Sebastian replied, looking down upon the frail boy. The boy the demon could break with his very hands, with his very mind. “Only some beings are granted immortality." He paused, pouring his lord hot tea. "Only some beings should be granted immortality," he murmured.

“I suppose we will find out tonight.” Ciel said, looking up at his butler. 

—

It was dark, around eleven at night. The air was cold and the wind was relentless outside the Phantomhive estate, a storm seeming to brew in front of the moon.

“Let’s make this quick,” Ciel said in a hushed tone, snuggling into his thick over coat. “It’s bloody freezing.”

Sebastian nodded, scooping the earl into his arms with practiced finesse.

Ciel wrapped his arms around the butler’s shoulders before Sebastian started running in the direction of Northern London.

A shiver ran through Ciel’s body as Sebastian ran through the forest, the trees speeding past them as the demon skillfully maneuvered between them with inhuman grace and momentum. He watched his demon’s eyes flicker back and forth, but his face was relaxed, as though it wasn’t taking any effort or strenuous thought to navigate through a dense forest at the rapid speed he could run. He would never understand how fast a demon’s mind worked, to be able to make such precise calculations in no time at all. 

“It’s not good etiquette to stare, Young Master,” Sebastian smirked, looking down at the dazed eyes of his lord. A chuckle past his lips as Ciel huffed and looked away in annoyance, the redness of the boy’s cheeks not going unnoticed.

After only a few minutes of Sebastian sprinting past the edge of the forest and the tops of town house roofs, the two arrived on the outskirts of the Báthory Estate. Sebastian looked from left to right slowly before proceeding forward toward the manor. His footfalls were silent, as though his feet were only ghosting over the grass before he jumped up onto the side of the roof.

“Do you sense where her soul is?” Ciel whispered, his grip on the demon’s shoulders loosening lightly.

“No,” Sebastian said, his eyebrows furrowing. “I don’t sense any soul but yours.”

No one is here? “Damn it.” Ciel cursed, becoming angry. Finding the woman again would be harder than he thought, although, he didn’t fully expect the woman to still be here. She didn’t seem one hundred percent ignorant.

“Shh,” Sebastian hushed, his gloved hand coming over the child’s mouth. His hyperactive ears picked up noise under them.

“-ver have overtime. This sucks.”

“Would you stop complaining for once?”

Silence.

“–ould we tell the higher ups it was a mistake or somethin’? Nothin’s here, not even ghosts.”

“The records never make mistakes. Something suspicious is going on…”

Silence.

Sebastian jumped high into the air, making Ciel yelp in surprise and wrap his arms around his demon’s shoulders again. A piercing blade broke through the roof, the sharp clippers reaching for something to cut. The roof ruptured slightly around the hole, a few shillings falling away from the structure to create a larger opening.

“As I suspected. I thought I smelled something foul.” William spat, looking through the hole at the demon standing a few feet away. The long rod retracted, snapping back into place.

“Huh?” the other reaper grunted, leaning closer to see the figure on the roof. “You! You’re that demon from last month!”

“Shit.” Ciel breathed, looking down at the two gods.

“I knew the disappearing of souls had to do with a filthy demon. Why must your kind always get in the way of my work?” William said, his scythe shooting out under the demon’s feet again.

Sebastian jumped, landing to the side of the gap in the roof. What he didn’t anticipate, however, was for the whole section of the old roof to collapse. Keeping a tight hold on his master, Sebastian landed on the wooden floor before the two reapers, dust and dirt falling from the ceiling.

Ciel coughed, the particles of debris filling his human lungs and making his eyes water. His hand reached into Sebastian’s coat pocket, fishing for something to cover his nose and mouth before his asthma could begin. The task was becoming increasingly difficult as Sebastian was moving again, dodging the scythes that targeted him. The Earl settled for burying his face in the butler’s suit jacket, coughing into the fabric.

“An order, m-” Sebastian stopped upon seeing his master wheezing into his suit jacket. The Earl’s fingers were loosening, releasing from the clothing.

“Put me down.” He breathed, the debris and dust settling on the ground and his lungs feeling a bit less dry.

The atmosphere turned still, the demon and the reapers stopping mid attack to see what the other would do. Placing his master down gently on his feet, Sebastian stood close, ready to pick him back up if the reapers resumed there assault.

“The souls were not taken by my demon.” Ciel said finally, his voice strong and serious. His coughing threatened to break through his stoic persona, but he swallowed thickly, not wanting to show weakness in front of the two reapers.

“If that is true, then who is the one taking them?” Ronald spoke up, leaning his upper body on the handle of his scythe. His senior didn’t look too pleased at the outburst, but he had the same question in mind.

“A countess named Katherine Báthory is contracted to a demon. This is where they were last night.”

“And you know this because?” William asked, his eyes narrowing.

“She invited me here yesterday night to kill me.” Ciel said, a cough finally forcing it’s way out of his lungs, his gloved hand coming up to cover his mouth.

“Master,” Sebastian began, reaching out to his master’s shoulder to support him. The earl stood still, not one to want to show frailty. Having to lean against your butler in front of others, how pathetic. 

“Gonna have to make demon reports now,” Ronald mumbled, straightening back up and adjusting his notebook onto the handle of the lawnmower to scan through the faces of the humans who were killed.

The souls of the humans were missing, even when reapers came to cut the records, they would find no traces of human life. The occurrences were rare, but they usually lead to either three things. Apparitions of the soul in the form of phantoms, the work of a demonic or angelic entity, or a mistake on a grim reaper’s part. But since Grell Sutcliff was dispatched for only one of the many incidents, it ruled out the third possibility.

“Why did you come here tonight?” William asked, the hold on his scythe still tight.

“What do you think?” Ciel smirked. “I came to kill her.”

William sighed, his eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. As long as that human brat was alive he would constantly be running into that filthy demon, wouldn’t he? Always causing trouble for the reapers, never blinking an eye.

“It seems there is nothing else to do here. Let’s go, Sebastian.” Ciel said, turning around and raising an arm. The demon wrapped his arms around the lord’s slender back and under his knees, holding him to his chest.

“It’s been a pleasure.” Sebastian chimed in with a teasing smile before jumping up and out of the hole in the ceiling. Ronald revved the engine of his scythe, about to follow before his seniors gloved hand appeared in front of him, a silent command not to pursue.

Demons are a hassle. They always will be, William decided. Sebastian Michaelis was no different. Trying to chase a demon through the night for no purpose other than revenge for a snarky comment was not on his long list of things to do. He wouldn’t let his junior reaper go and do something stupid that would result in more paperwork for him, either.

“So what now?” Knox asked, leaning on his scythe again, disappointed. Anything was more fun than having to stay out late while working; even a wild goose chase on the tops of London’s roofs.

“Back to headquarters. There are reports to be written.” Spears said sternly, closing his schedule of human deaths.

“Well, good luck with that.” Ronald chuckled, tucking his book away as well. “The ladies down in resources wante-”

“You will be writing reports as well, Mr. Knox.” William deadpanned, giving a stern look at his subordinate. “I don’t care about the dates you have planned tonight.”

Ronald’s mouth opened to say something, but closed soon after his senior had disappeared.

—

“Reapers again. And… Company.”

“Company? Who?”

“Phantomhive and the demon.”

“What happened?”

“The reapers attacked, but everything settled. The boy gave your name and informed them of my presence.”

“Anything else?”

“He said he came here to kill you.”

A lighthearted laugh bubbles out of the woman’s lips from the response.

“Cute.”


End file.
